Clearing The Air
by VanillaAshes
Summary: After everything that happened with the Accords, the team is split, broken. But who can you trust? "I wanted to clear the air, make sure that we were still alright." Civil War Spoilers


**Author's Note:**

 **Hello! I started this story the day after I watched Civil War... that was over a month ago! But, I thought I might aswell post it now, I believe it'll do!**

 **Thank you very much for my final beta who went over it all: Sanctuaria!**

 **And to all of the people who I asked to read it, give advice and suggestions, I know I am going to forget somebody, but thank you to: RomanogerLaucifer; ThisVioletofMine, Grossly-Sweet and... my mind has gone blank!**

 **Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

Steve glanced at his phone, highly tempted to call Sharon, but knowing he had to leave it a little longer. He had literally just broken half a dozen criminals out of a top secret prison, and if he called her, she could get in trouble.

"Nat?" Wanda's voice appeared, the surprise evident.

He spun around at that name and saw the two women embracing one another shortly. "How are you, Wanda?" Natasha asked, looking very well, especially considering the last time he had seen her, she was taking on the Black Panther to help him and Bucky escape.

"A lot better now that I'm not locked up," Wanda replied.

Steve quickly glanced outside, just making sure that he was still in Wakanda. "Nat- how did you find us?"

Natasha sent him an almost cocky smile. "T'Challa told me," she answered shortly. "May we speak?"

"I'll leave you two alone," Wanda said before exiting the room. It only occurred afterwards to Steve that she hadn't told him why she had been there in the first place.

Steve crossed his arms slightly, gazing at Natasha and unsure of what they were anymore- they had sided on different teams and even fought against one another. However, he knew he could trust her. From her voice on the phone to every time she tried to stop him from fighting to at the end, her acting selflessly to help him chase after what he believed in.

"I wanted to clear the air, make sure that we were still alright," Natasha spoke.

"I thought you'd go to Clint first," Steve commented, walking to the center of the room, where she was still standing, and taking a seat.

Natasha sat down on the adjoining couch and angled herself to look at him. "I did. I needed to pass him information about his family- I made sure they weren't affected by the… team."

Steve nodded. "I shouldn't have involved Clint; he was retired and instead I got him locked up. He could have missed his children growing up."

"Don't stress about that; he knew the risks. In our line of work, there is always that chance that he'll miss birthdays, christmases, anniversaries… or even lose his life. It's a hard call. He wouldn't have come out of retirement to help you if he didn't feel like it was for good reasons," Natasha informed him.

He looked at her for a long time, eventually nodding. "I still feel guilty though. I shouldn't have dragged him into it- anybody into it, that wasn't fair."

Natasha reached out and placed her hand on his. "But you did your best to fix it. Nobody is in jail, and for the most part, everybody is alright."

"Doesn't change what _did_ happen- the team is more fractured than it should be. Wanda and Vision don't talk anymore…" He drifted off, shaking his head. It was still hard to think about how each person was affected, about what he did that contributed to all of it.

"Steve," Natasha said, gaining his attention. "We all did things we regret in the last few weeks, that we still feel guilty about."

Steve searched her eyes. "Even you?"

She nodded, taking a breath before replying. "I regret that I used Sharon Carter against you so soon after the death of Peggy Carter." Natasha admitted.

Steve looked at her with surprise and confusion- the fact that she was genuinely shaken up about one of actions was a big deal, but he wasn't sure what she was referring to. "What about Sharon?"

Natasha looked at him, straight in the eye. "In order for us to find you, Sharon went in and fed us your exact location."

He felt himself take a sharp intake of breath, he hadn't known that, or even connected those two events. Steve wasn't sure how to process that information. "When she brought me my shield and Sam his Falcon suit?"

With Natasha's nod, he still couldn't believe it- he had thought that Sharon was on his side. They had been talking occasionally since she surveilled him right before S.H.I.E.L.D fell and honestly didn't expect- or even realise- that she had betrayed him. "I am sorry," Natasha told him, genuinely.

"Don't be, it's fine." Steve replied with a smile. "As far as I am concerned, we are fine."

Natasha nodded. "Thank you." She stood up, making him stand up too. "I should probably leave then."

Steve blinked, and almost imagined her just disappearing. She had done it before. He hadn't seen or even heard of her after the airport incident, he had honestly expected to find her in the prison too. "Stay," he said quickly. "Hang out, I'm sure Wanda would love to see you and it'll be good to catch up. You are _always_ welcome," he told her.

She seemed skeptical for a few moments, but conceded. "Very well. Let me know when it's time to eat," she requested before sauntering off- to where he presumed would be to find Wanda or talk to Clint- but trusted that she wouldn't leave without telling him.

* * *

Steve lifted his phone to his ear, waiting patiently for a few rings before Sharon answered.

"Hello?" She greeted, sleepily.

He looked out to the sky and realised that he should have taken time zones into account. "Hello, Sharon, it's Steve."

There was some movement on her side, before her breath came through. "Steve. The CIA have been manic; did you break the Avengers out of prison?" she asked him.

"Why would I answer that?"

"Excuse me?"

"Did you tell Tony where I was?" Steve asked her straightforwardly, needing to know from her what had happened.

She sighed. "No, I told Romanoff."

Steve sighed, and even though it wasn't directly Sharon's fault, he couldn't help but see the indirect impact of her actions. She had prevented his team from going to Russia to stop the super soldiers, where they encountered Zemo. Rhodey wouldn't have been injured in the first place and half of the Avengers wouldn't have been locked up.

Then again, they were still fugitives, and it was likely there were going to be consequences. But that didn't change the fact that Sharon had willingly given up his location _and_ still kissed him. "Why?"

"Because it was the right thing to do, Bucky is a fugitive and so were you." Sharon replied. "I was just doing my job. It was never my intention to hurt you, Steve." She paused, and he knew he was expected to say something but couldn't bring himself to say anything. "Where are you?"

Realisation hit him; she was still doing her job- he was a wanted fugitive _and_ he was with other fugitives. "I know how important your job is to you, and that is why you did what you did."

"I did the same thing that Aunt Peggy would have done," Sharon replied.

Steve took a sharp intake of breath, he couldn't imagine Peggy ever betraying him or what she believed him, but then again, there were seventy years of her life that he wasn't a part of. "Then I knew a different Peggy." He paused. "I refuse to jeopardise your job; I will not contact you again. Goodbye, Sharon."

"No, Steve. Wait, I-"

Steve ended the call with a sigh and sank into the seat behind him.

* * *

Steve stepped out of his bedroom, surprised with how long he slept- it was a much needed sleep and he was even more grateful to T'Challa for allowing him and his team to stay there. As he continued down the hallway and into the kitchen, he almost froze upon seeing somebody already up with bright red hair. He wasn't sure why he was surprised to see Natasha; after all, he had been the one to ask her to stay.

"Good morning, Steve," Natasha greeted him casually, bringing the mug to her lips before pouring him a cup.

"Morning," he replied warmly, accepting the cup gratefully. "Sleep well?"

She shrugged casually. "Clint steals the covers, and then complains when I kick him out of the bed."

Steve almost spat out his coffee. "Why were you in bed with Clint?" He asked after choking down his gulp.

"What? Where else was I supposed to sleep?" Natasha asked him casually, taking another sip of her drink.

"Well, maybe in one of the three extra beds in this place?" Steve suggested with disbelief.

Natasha cocked her head to the side. "You never mentioned them. Usually when somebody asks me to stay, they provide me with the location they wish me to sleep- when they don't, they usually wish for me to share their bed; however, I thought you wouldn't be open to that, so I just bunked with Clint. I've done it hundreds of times."

Steve wasn't sure he wanted to know under which circumstances they had 'bunked'. "Huh," he said simply, downing the rest of his coffee.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Before you get any ideas into your _male_ brain, it's completely platonic. There're not many people I'd trust enough to let my defensive down for a proper nights sleep - and since the Accords were introduced, that number has dropped."

Steve nodded in agreement. "I know the feeling. The whole team is divided and it's shown how easily people can turn on one another. I feel like even those here aren't on my side."

"You know they're not," Natasha replied. "The only people who weren't on your side the entire time- who know you are here- are T'Challa and me."

"Still, that doesn't mean the other team doesn't have _lots_ of people," Steve said with a small chuckle. "I'm just hoping this won't destroy the Avengers completely."

Natasha sighed. "I think it already has," she replied solemnly. "We are no longer a team, Steve. We are remnants of a team, but we are broken."

But Steve didn't like to think of it that way- that felt too final, too grim. "We might be broken, but that doesn't automatically translate to 'unfixable,'" he lightly argued, trying to sound as determined and sure of himself as Captain America should be.

"If anybody can fix this, I guess you have the best chance."

He couldn't tell if that was sarcasm or not, but he decided to take it as a compliment. "I appreciate the vote of confidence," he smiled slightly. "But you'll be there to help me, right? I can't hope to do any of this on my own." Although her still being here spoke volumes in terms of answering that question.`

Natasha looked at him placidly. "I don't think I have the trust of anybody here. Not really." She paused. "Apart from Clint, but he doesn't count."

Steve shrugged. "Who cares? I trust you- that's all that matters."

"Thank you for that. Just… let me know what you expect from me and I'll see," Natasha replied, seeming hesitant.

Steve smiled genuinely. "Thanks, Nat," he said, pouring himself another cup of coffee- it was going to be a long day, he could tell.

Natasha waited for a few moments, before picking up a bagel. "So, what's the plan?"

He sighed. "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it," Steve said decisively.

* * *

 **Thank you!**

 **Now, I know a lot of you might be like 'she's villainising Sharon', but that's not my intention. She _did_ give up their location, so it's just a fact. And Steve breaking up with her was to do with protecting her and her job as well. **


End file.
